Amber Rudd is warning No 10 that it could face dozens of ministerial resignations next week if Tory MPs are banned from voting for a plan that helps stop a no-deal Brexit. The work and pensions secretary believes that 25 to 40 members of the government want to vote for an amendment drafted by Labour’s Yvette Cooper and the Tory backbenchers Sir Oliver Letwin and...Amber Rudd is warning No 10 that it could face dozens of ministerial resignations next week if...Amber Rudd is warning No 10 that it could face dozens of ministerial resignations next week if...

EU citizens applying to stay in the UK after Brexit will not have to pay a £65 registration fee, after a climbdown...EU citizens applying to stay in the UK after Brexit will not have to pay a £65 registration fee, after a climbdown announced by Theresa May today. The prime minister has repeatedly defended the charge as small and affordable but backed down in the face of pressure from campaigners and MPs. She said that those who...EU citizens applying to stay in the UK after Brexit will not have to pay a £65 registration fee, after a climbdown announced by...

An “utterly self-centred” so-called rich kid of Instagram has been spared jail after she imported and sold fashion accessories made from endangered python skin. Stephanie Scolaro, 26, a multimillionaire heiress, was given a 160-hour...An “utterly self-centred” so-called rich kid of Instagram has been spared jail after she imported...An “utterly self-centred” so-called rich kid of Instagram has been spared jail after she imported...

House prices in some of Britain’s most exclusive postcodes have fallen by a quarter over the past year. Almost £500,000 has been wiped from the average value of homes in Kensington & Chelsea and the City of Westminster in...House prices in some of Britain’s most exclusive postcodes have fallen by a quarter over the past year. Almost £500,000 has been wiped from the average value of homes in Kensington & Chelsea and the City of Westminster in...House prices in some of Britain’s most exclusive postcodes have fallen by a quarter over the past year. Almost...

Labour has demanded the BBC hand over unscreened footage from last week’s Question Time after making a formal complaint about the treatment of Diane Abbott. The shadow home secretary, who was a panellist on the programme last...Labour has demanded the BBC hand over unscreened footage from last week’s Question Time after making a formal complaint about the treatment of Diane Abbott. The shadow home secretary, who was a panellist on the programme last...Labour has demanded the BBC hand over unscreened footage from last week’s Question Time after making a formal...

The pension benefits of Whitehall’s most senior civil servants were attacked as disproportionate by a pressure group yesterday as it called for radical reform. Senior officials who run government departments will draw an...The pension benefits of Whitehall’s most senior civil servants were attacked as disproportionate by a pressure group yesterday as it called for radical reform. Senior officials who run government departments will draw an...The pension benefits of Whitehall’s most senior civil servants were attacked as disproportionate by a pressure group...

Britain’s biggest bird-shooting organisations have boycotted a group set up to save endangered birds of prey. Five organisations representing Britain’s biggest shooting estates stunned conservationists by staging a walkout of a...Britain’s biggest bird-shooting organisations have boycotted a group set up to save endangered birds of prey. Five organisations representing Britain’s biggest shooting estates stunned conservationists by staging a walkout of a...Britain’s biggest bird-shooting organisations have boycotted a group set up to save endangered birds of prey. Five...

Indiana Jones, the fictional archaeologist, carried a bullwhip and a revolver on his missions to find sacred treasures.Indiana Jones, the fictional archaeologist, carried a bullwhip and a revolver on his missions to...Indiana Jones, the fictional archaeologist, carried a bullwhip and a revolver on his missions to...

More than 100,000 dirty wood-burning stoves were sold last year despite promises by the government and stove industry...More than 100,000 dirty wood-burning stoves were sold last year despite promises by the...More than 100,000 dirty wood-burning stoves were sold last year despite promises by the...

The new head of a regulator set up after a series of fundraising scandals has criticised hundreds of charities for refusing to pay a levy to fund its work. Lord Harris of Haringey, who took over this month as chairman of the...The new head of a regulator set up after a series of fundraising scandals has criticised hundreds of charities for refusing to pay a levy to fund its work. Lord Harris of Haringey, who took over this month as chairman of the...The new head of a regulator set up after a series of fundraising scandals has criticised hundreds of charities for...

Two armed men hijacked a pizza delivery driver’s van to use in a bomb attack in Londonderry, police have said. The attack is suspected to have been carried out by the New IRA dissident republican group, according to the Police...Two armed men hijacked a pizza delivery driver’s van to use in a bomb attack in Londonderry, police have said. The attack is suspected to have been carried out by the New IRA dissident republican group, according to the Police...Two armed men hijacked a pizza delivery driver’s van to use in a bomb attack in Londonderry, police have said. The...

I always try to be optimistic. But it’s time to face up to it. Britain is a global embarrassment. A shambling, sorry disgrace. No, I’m not talking about Brexit. I’m talking about productivity. If your eyes just started to glaze over, I don’t blame...I always try to be optimistic. But it’s time to face up to it. Britain is a global embarrassment.I always try to be optimistic. But it’s time to face up to it. Britain is a global embarrassment.

Sir, I was surprised to read your leading article (“Prodigal Blair”, Jan 19) defending the right of Tony Blair to attempt to interfere in matters of state when he has no authority. He led us into a damaging war in Iraq on information that...Sir, I was surprised to read your leading article (“Prodigal Blair”, Jan 19) defending the...Sir, I was surprised to read your leading article (“Prodigal Blair”, Jan 19) defending the...

Daily Universal Register

Briefing

UK: Theresa May gives a statement on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 to the House of Commons; the public test phase of the government’s post-Brexit residency scheme for EU migrants living in the UK goes live; House of Lords committee stage debate on the government’s Trade Bill, which would legislate for international economic links after Brexit.

China: The Chinese government announces its latest quarterly GDP data for the fourth quarter of 2018.

France: Paris Fashion Week haute-couture spring/summer 2019 begins.

On this day

In 1790 Dr Joseph-Ignace Guillotin proposed the guillotine to the newly formed National Assembly of Paris as a “humane” method of execution; in 1793 King Louis XVI of France was executed (by guillotine) for treason; in 1907 taxi cabs were officially recognised in Britain; in 1911 the first Monte Carlo car rally began; in 1919 the Dáil Éireann, the Irish parliament, met for the first time; in 1954 the first nuclear-powered submarine, the USS Nautilus, was launched.

Nature notes

The dawn chorus is now beginning to be noticeable, and many birds are singing in the middle of the day too. A chill in the air does not hold them back very much. Sunshine, even if still pale, is more important for them. Our two thrushes — the song thrush and the mistle thrush — dominate the chorus. Many song thrushes are hurtling their barrage of strong, clear, repeated notes from the treetops, especially at first light, and again towards dusk. Mistle thrushes are making challenging, trumpet-like calls from high in the trees. They quite often pause, then abruptly their commanding voice rings out again. Robins sing on and off throughout the day. They often begin a session with a single sharp, sweet, note, then start singing the richer or more plaintive passages of their song. The first blackbirds are also singing, usually a soft version of their fluting song at present, but as February progresses we shall become aware that they are singing in gardens or on television aerials all round us.

Israel’s armed forces have taken the unprecedented decision to release footage of its jets bombing missile launchers as part of escalating offensive against Iranian forces in Syria. The video of launchers being taken out was posted on social media as Israel ripped up its previous policy of strategic ambiguity about its repeated strikes on Iranian sites in Syria, and as...Israel’s armed forces have taken the unprecedented decision to release footage of its jets...Israel’s armed forces have taken the unprecedented decision to release footage of its jets...

Israel and Iran are now in open and direct conflict in Syria. The two countries have been engaged in a shadow war for...Israel and Iran are now in open and direct conflict in Syria. The two countries have been engaged in a shadow war for years, with Israel secretly targeting assets of Iran and its proxy Hezbollah. What has changed over the weekend is the overt nature of their confrontation. Israel and Iran carried out daylight air...Israel and Iran are now in open and direct conflict in Syria. The two countries have been engaged in a shadow war for years...

A second woman is pregnant with a genetically modified baby in China, it emerged today, as Beijing authorities vowed...A second woman is pregnant with a genetically modified baby in China, it emerged today, as...A second woman is pregnant with a genetically modified baby in China, it emerged today, as...

A Roman Catholic diocese has apologised after video footage showed students from a church school taunting a Native...A Roman Catholic diocese has apologised after video footage showed students from a church school...A Roman Catholic diocese has apologised after video footage showed students from a church school...

Bollywood stands accused of political bias after the release of twin blockbusters supportive of Narendra Modi just as India gears up for a general election. An action thriller, Uri: The Surgical Strike, is a...Bollywood stands accused of political bias after the release of twin blockbusters supportive of Narendra Modi just as India gears up for a general election. An action thriller, Uri: The Surgical Strike, is a...Bollywood stands accused of political bias after the release of twin blockbusters supportive of Narendra Modi just as...

Tens of thousands of Serbs demanding the resignation of President Vucic over creeping authoritarianism brought Belgrade to a standstill for the seventh weekend in a row. Blowing whistles and banging drums, an estimated 10,000...Tens of thousands of Serbs demanding the resignation of President Vucic over creeping authoritarianism brought Belgrade to a standstill for the seventh weekend in a row. Blowing whistles and banging drums, an estimated 10,000...Tens of thousands of Serbs demanding the resignation of President Vucic over creeping authoritarianism brought...

Scores of people were injured yesterday as demonstrators draped in Greek flags clashed with police in Athens in a massive grassroots protest against a deal that could help to normalise relations with neighbouring Macedonia. Riot police fired tear...Scores of people were injured yesterday as demonstrators draped in Greek flags clashed with...Scores of people were injured yesterday as demonstrators draped in Greek flags clashed with...

Kim Jong-un’s nuclear programme has distracted the world from a far greater danger, experts have warned: the threat of weapons designed to spread anthrax, smallpox and other deadly diseases. North Korea has developed a...Kim Jong-un’s nuclear programme has distracted the world from a far greater danger, experts have warned: the threat of weapons designed to spread anthrax, smallpox and other deadly diseases. North Korea has developed a...Kim Jong-un’s nuclear programme has distracted the world from a far greater danger, experts have warned: the threat...

Italy’s rival deputy prime ministers have blamed rescue ships and French colonialism for the latest tragedy in the Mediterranean in which 170 migrants drowned in two separate shipwrecks. Three men were rescued by an Italian...Italy’s rival deputy prime ministers have blamed rescue ships and French colonialism for the latest tragedy in the Mediterranean in which 170 migrants drowned in two separate shipwrecks. Three men were rescued by an Italian...Italy’s rival deputy prime ministers have blamed rescue ships and French colonialism for the latest tragedy in the...

Britain will grow at least as fast as its major eurozone neighbours over the next the two years as a sharp economic slowdown in the single currency bloc drags on global growth, the International Monetary Fund has said. Large downgrades for Germany and Italy were to blame for the IMF’s decision to...Britain will grow at least as fast as its major eurozone neighbours over the next the two years as a sharp economic slowdown in the single currency bloc drags on global growth, the International Monetary Fund has said. Large downgrades for Germany and Italy were to blame for the IMF’s decision to...Britain will grow at least as fast as its major eurozone neighbours over the next the two years as a sharp economic slowdown in...

Australia has called into question the UK’s hopes of joining a Pacific trade bloc, which had been considered by Theresa May to be a major post-Brexit opportunity over the coming years. Simon Birmingham, the Australian trade minister, said: “The UK is some distance from the Pacific, the last time I checked.” He was speaking on a trip to...Australia has called into question the UK’s hopes of joining a Pacific trade bloc, which had been considered by Theresa May to be a major post-Brexit opportunity over the coming years. Simon Birmingham, the Australian trade minister, said: “The UK is some distance from the Pacific, the last time I checked.” He was speaking on a trip to...Australia has called into question the UK’s hopes of joining a Pacific trade bloc, which had been considered by Theresa May to...

Sir Philip Hampton has notified the board of Glaxosmithkline of his plans to step down as chairman only a month after it struck a deal with an American rival that paves the way for a break-up. The move at Britain’s biggest pharmaceutical company was a surprise. Glaxo said that it had started the process of finding a...Sir Philip Hampton has notified the board of Glaxosmithkline of his plans to step down as...Sir Philip Hampton has notified the board of Glaxosmithkline of his plans to step down as...

When I first attended the World Economic Forum’s Davos meetings eight years ago, bankers were still masters of the...When I first attended the World Economic Forum’s Davos meetings eight years ago, bankers were...When I first attended the World Economic Forum’s Davos meetings eight years ago, bankers were...

While I’ve been engaged in my day job over the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on two rather important issues...While I’ve been engaged in my day job over the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on two...While I’ve been engaged in my day job over the past couple of weeks I’ve been working on two...

The profitability of British companies is holding up. In manufacturing, it’s even improving slightly. That’s good...The profitability of British companies is holding up. In manufacturing, it’s even improving...The profitability of British companies is holding up. In manufacturing, it’s even improving...

Royal Mail has spent many months lobbying for new legislation to allow “collective defined-contribution” pensions for...Royal Mail has spent many months lobbying for new legislation to allow “collective...Royal Mail has spent many months lobbying for new legislation to allow “collective...

The market will be looking for evidence that a turnaround at Burberry is well under way this week when the luxury fashion retailer reports its third-quarter sales. Marco Gobbetti, chief executive of the 161-year-old business, is more than a year...The market will be looking for evidence that a turnaround at Burberry is well under way this week...The market will be looking for evidence that a turnaround at Burberry is well under way this week...

Sixteen months is a long time to keep silent when you have lost your job and, worse still, your reputation; when you have been pummelled by allegations of discriminatory remarks and unprofessional conduct and placed in the public stocks. Mark Sampson wondered whether it was worth speaking at all given that many minds will already be made up — and he has put his family...Sixteen months is a long time to keep silent when you have lost your job and, worse still, your...Sixteen months is a long time to keep silent when you have lost your job and, worse still, your...

Six games, three wins, two defeats and a 0-0 draw. That is Chelsea’s recent Premier League record and, six months in...Six games, three wins, two defeats and a 0-0 draw. That is Chelsea’s recent Premier League record and, six months in to his reign as manager, Maurizio Sarri is being questioned about his tactics and system. But we’re not going to do that. Sarri has a way of playing and he will either succeed or fail by trying to...Six games, three wins, two defeats and a 0-0 draw. That is Chelsea’s recent Premier League record and, six months in to his...

Eddie Jones cannot have enjoyed his afternoon of European rugby on Saturday. Once again Saracens stood up for England...Eddie Jones cannot have enjoyed his afternoon of European rugby on Saturday. Once again Saracens...Eddie Jones cannot have enjoyed his afternoon of European rugby on Saturday. Once again Saracens...

There is a very real prospect that England will head into the first training session of their Portugal camp on Friday...There is a very real prospect that England will head into the first training session of their...There is a very real prospect that England will head into the first training session of their...

As the master of ceremonies in the Rod Laver Arena here announced the entrance of “the world No 1 from . . . ”, out walked Serena Williams. She quickly stopped, turned and walked back into the confines of the courtside tunnel, looking rather...As the master of ceremonies in the Rod Laver Arena here announced the entrance of “the world No 1...As the master of ceremonies in the Rod Laver Arena here announced the entrance of “the world No 1...

When Mick Schumacher decided to make a career out of motor racing, he knew it would draw the inevitable questions. Is he as good as his father, Michael, the most successful F1 driver ever? Is he only advancing through the ranks because of his name?When Mick Schumacher decided to make a career out of motor racing, he knew it would draw the...When Mick Schumacher decided to make a career out of motor racing, he knew it would draw the...

Chelsea fans must accept the possibility that Maurizio Sarri is, in certain respects at least, inadvertently harming...Chelsea fans must accept the possibility that Maurizio Sarri is, in certain respects at least...Chelsea fans must accept the possibility that Maurizio Sarri is, in certain respects at least...

You know it has been a tough week for a club when footage on social media of one of their players masturbating in the...You know it has been a tough week for a club when footage on social media of one of their players...You know it has been a tough week for a club when footage on social media of one of their players...

On a bleak midwinter morning, with breath frosting the air and Middlesex’s cricketers bracing themselves for their first training session of the new year, Stuart Law could have been forgiven for wondering why on earth he has swapped the colour and...On a bleak midwinter morning, with breath frosting the air and Middlesex’s cricketers bracing...On a bleak midwinter morning, with breath frosting the air and Middlesex’s cricketers bracing...

Mohamed Salah is an excellent player whom I love to watch. Last season I not only admired his skill and goals but...Mohamed Salah is an excellent player whom I love to watch. Last season I not only admired his...Mohamed Salah is an excellent player whom I love to watch. Last season I not only admired his...

Outside the City Ground, 25 minutes before kick-off, a father excitedly pointed out to his son which one was Martin...Outside the City Ground, 25 minutes before kick-off, a father excitedly pointed out to his son...Outside the City Ground, 25 minutes before kick-off, a father excitedly pointed out to his son...

Let’s have the ‘Englexit’ debateHere are some worrying statistics for English rugby fans: English clubs finished bottom in four of the five Champions Cup pools; 17 of the past 19 clashes between English and Irish clubs have gone the way of...Let’s have the ‘Englexit’ debateHere are some worrying statistics for English rugby fans...Let’s have the ‘Englexit’ debateHere are some worrying statistics for English rugby fans...

The New England Patriots will contest their fourth Super Bowl in five years after Tom Brady led them to a touchdown with their first possession in overtime to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs 37-31. Brady, who is looking for a record sixth win, began...The New England Patriots will contest their fourth Super Bowl in five years after Tom Brady led...The New England Patriots will contest their fourth Super Bowl in five years after Tom Brady led...

Why don’t we get dizzy as the Earth spins on its axis, one revolution every day? At the Equator the speed of the Earth’s spin is about 1,000mph, roughly twice the speed of a jumbo jet. The speed decreases the farther away you get from the Equator...Why don’t we get dizzy as the Earth spins on its axis, one revolution every day? At the Equator...Why don’t we get dizzy as the Earth spins on its axis, one revolution every day? At the Equator...

★★★★☆Let the race begin. If you want to use a petrolhead metaphor, you could say that Chris Evans, launching a week after Zoe Ball took over his old slot on Radio 2, has given the competition a lap’s head-start. He’s at the wheel of a much...★★★★☆Let the race begin. If you want to use a petrolhead metaphor, you could say that Chris...★★★★☆Let the race begin. If you want to use a petrolhead metaphor, you could say that Chris...

★★★★☆Picasso dismissed him as “a decadent, at the end of an old idea”. Matisse, on the other hand, called him “one of the greatest painters”. This Tate Modern exhibition, the first of its scale dedicated to Pierre Bonnard in 20 years, firmly takes the latter tack, using about 100 paintings, dating from 1900 to 1947 (his last, completed just before he died, aged...★★★★☆Picasso dismissed him as “a decadent, at the end of an old idea”. Matisse, on the other...★★★★☆Picasso dismissed him as “a decadent, at the end of an old idea”. Matisse, on the other...

★★★☆☆After a £50 million refurbishment, the Royal Opera House has opened what is effectively a new theatre in...★★★☆☆After a £50 million refurbishment, the Royal Opera House has opened what is effectively a new theatre in its basement. The Linbury is a 372-seat horseshoe-shaped chamber theatre with excellent sight lines, a flexible performance space and seats so comfortable and roomy that they put most West End theatres...★★★☆☆After a £50 million refurbishment, the Royal Opera House has opened what is effectively a new theatre in its basement.

★★☆☆☆If only they had stopped after the overture! We would be hailing James Brining, the director of Opera North’s new staging, as a genius: the man who made sense of The Magic Flute. The dumb show he concocts for that sizzling overture is...★★☆☆☆If only they had stopped after the overture! We would be hailing James Brining, the...★★☆☆☆If only they had stopped after the overture! We would be hailing James Brining, the...

★★★★☆James MacMillan’s music is unusually popular for a living composer. He’s a particular superstar in his...★★★★☆James MacMillan’s music is unusually popular for a living composer. He’s a...★★★★☆James MacMillan’s music is unusually popular for a living composer. He’s a...

★★★★☆January is a good time to see new bands in the grimy upstairs room of a pub. It offers proof, despite...★★★★☆January is a good time to see new bands in the grimy upstairs room of a pub. It offers...★★★★☆January is a good time to see new bands in the grimy upstairs room of a pub. It offers...

The best holidays in France

The number of deaths linked to a prescription drug dubbed the “new Valium” has doubled in a year amid fears that it is being used by heroin addicts to enhance their high. Pregabalin cost the Scottish NHS £36 million last year, more than any other medication dispensed by GPs. The drug is licensed for the treatment of epilepsy and nerve pain but experts say that it is...The number of deaths linked to a prescription drug dubbed the “new Valium” has doubled in a year...The number of deaths linked to a prescription drug dubbed the “new Valium” has doubled in a year...

Alex Salmond has heaped further pressure on Nicola Sturgeon by urging her to call a second independence referendum...Alex Salmond has heaped further pressure on Nicola Sturgeon by urging her to call a second independence referendum, saying that “Westminster’s Brexit difficulty should be Scotland’s opportunity”. The relationship between the first minister and her former mentor deteriorated spectacularly after Mr Salmond was accused...Alex Salmond has heaped further pressure on Nicola Sturgeon by urging her to call a second independence referendum, saying that...

Research has revealed the areas where GP surgeries are spending tens of thousands of pounds on pregabalin, a drug dubbed the “new Valium”. An investigation by The Times has shown that one GP practice on the northeast coast of...Research has revealed the areas where GP surgeries are spending tens of thousands of pounds on pregabalin, a drug dubbed the “new Valium”. An investigation by The Times has shown that one GP practice on the northeast coast of...Research has revealed the areas where GP surgeries are spending tens of thousands of pounds on pregabalin, a drug...

A think tank has accused leading Scottish universities of “industrial-scale failure” by allowing extremists and hate preachers to speak on campus. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, St Andrews and Strathclyde are among the...A think tank has accused leading Scottish universities of “industrial-scale failure” by allowing extremists and hate preachers to speak on campus. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, St Andrews and Strathclyde are among the...A think tank has accused leading Scottish universities of “industrial-scale failure” by allowing extremists and hate...

Police are targeting uninsured drivers in an initiative that aims to remove them from Scotland’s roads. It is estimated that there are 40,000 uninsured drivers in Scotland, who are said by insurance experts to be more dangerous...Police are targeting uninsured drivers in an initiative that aims to remove them from Scotland’s roads. It is estimated that there are 40,000 uninsured drivers in Scotland, who are said by insurance experts to be more dangerous...Police are targeting uninsured drivers in an initiative that aims to remove them from Scotland’s roads. It is...

The Scottish government has made more than £135 million of loans to businesses during the past three and a half years, figures revealed after freedom of information requests from The Times indicate. The highest-value loan...The Scottish government has made more than £135 million of loans to businesses during the past three and a half years, figures revealed after freedom of information requests from The Times indicate. The highest-value loan...The Scottish government has made more than £135 million of loans to businesses during the past three and a half years...

Scotland is set for its biggest weekend of club rugby since the dawn of the professional era after confirmation that Edinburgh will host Munster and Glasgow Warriors will take on Saracens away in the quarter-finals of the Heineken Champions Cup on the last weekend of March. Edinburgh’s 19-10 win over Montpellier on Friday not only guaranteed them a home tie when the...Scotland is set for its biggest weekend of club rugby since the dawn of the professional era...Scotland is set for its biggest weekend of club rugby since the dawn of the professional era...

Hearts will attempt to extinguish Auchinleck Talbot’s “hope” after the headline-making juniors were sent to...Hearts will attempt to extinguish Auchinleck Talbot’s “hope” after the headline-making juniors were sent to Tynecastle in the William Hill Scottish Cup fifth round draw. Kilmarnock at home to Rangers will be the tie of the round if Steven Gerrard’s side take care of Cowdenbeath, while Celtic are at home to St...Hearts will attempt to extinguish Auchinleck Talbot’s “hope” after the headline-making juniors were sent to Tynecastle in the...

Craig McCracken’s arrival in the Auchinleck Talbot Social Club after he had put his name into the history books by...Craig McCracken’s arrival in the Auchinleck Talbot Social Club after he had put his name into the...Craig McCracken’s arrival in the Auchinleck Talbot Social Club after he had put his name into the...

In Leicester City’s last set of annual accounts they posted a profit of £92.5 million and a turnover of £233 million...In Leicester City’s last set of annual accounts they posted a profit of £92.5 million and a...In Leicester City’s last set of annual accounts they posted a profit of £92.5 million and a...

Theresa May gave up attempts to find a cross-party approach to Brexit last night as she told her cabinet that she would focus on winning over rebel Tory MPs and the DUP. As Britain’s prime minister prepares to update the House of Commons today on her plans to save Brexit, she told ministers that...Theresa May gave up attempts to find a cross-party approach to Brexit last night as she told her cabinet that she would focus on winning over rebel Tory MPs and the DUP. As Britain’s prime minister prepares to update the House of Commons today on her plans to save Brexit, she told ministers that...Theresa May gave up attempts to find a cross-party approach to Brexit last night as she told her cabinet that she would focus...

The state’s spending watchdog is to investigate huge cost overruns in the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, a senior minister has said. The project was earmarked to cost €637 million in 2016 but the final bill is expected to exceed €1.7 billion. Seán Kyne, the government chief whip, said he expected the comptroller and...The state’s spending watchdog is to investigate huge cost overruns in the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, a senior minister has said. The project was earmarked to cost €637 million in 2016 but the final bill is expected to exceed €1.7 billion. Seán Kyne, the government chief whip, said he expected the comptroller and...The state’s spending watchdog is to investigate huge cost overruns in the construction of the National Children’s Hospital, a...

Concerns were raised that 45 new academic women-only posts could be seen as “positive discrimination”. The Department of Education wanted advice about the legality of creating posts open only to woman. A senior official explained in emails that the department wanted to create posts that would “be filled exclusively...Concerns were raised that 45 new academic women-only posts could be seen as “positive...Concerns were raised that 45 new academic women-only posts could be seen as “positive...

A leading obstetrician has said that the government should consider “revisiting” the legislation giving effect to abortion because it has had a “chilling effect” on health professionals. Professor Louise Kenny was one of the...A leading obstetrician has said that the government should consider “revisiting” the legislation giving effect to abortion because it has had a “chilling effect” on health professionals. Professor Louise Kenny was one of the...A leading obstetrician has said that the government should consider “revisiting” the legislation giving effect to...

The government is set to resist calls for it to measure the gap between what workers of different ethnicities are paid for doing the same job. The Immigrant Council of Ireland is pressing the government to measure the race gap...The government is set to resist calls for it to measure the gap between what workers of different ethnicities are paid for doing the same job. The Immigrant Council of Ireland is pressing the government to measure the race gap...The government is set to resist calls for it to measure the gap between what workers of different ethnicities are...

You probably saw the news that an ESRI study found that children who owned phones at 9 scored 4 per cent less on...You probably saw the news that an ESRI study found that children who owned phones at 9 scored 4...You probably saw the news that an ESRI study found that children who owned phones at 9 scored 4...

There are many conclusions to be drawn from the ongoing shambles that is Brexit, but one intriguing question that...There are many conclusions to be drawn from the ongoing shambles that is Brexit, but one...There are many conclusions to be drawn from the ongoing shambles that is Brexit, but one...

Hares may be fitted with a microchip in future as a measure to ensure they are not used repeatedly at coursing meetings. Josepha Madigan, the culture minister, has hinted that she is open to the possibility of permitting hares to be microchipped...Hares may be fitted with a microchip in future as a measure to ensure they are not used...Hares may be fitted with a microchip in future as a measure to ensure they are not used...

Despite its name, the grey wagtail is more yellow than grey. While the wings and back are slate grey, it is the lemon-toned rump and undercarriage that call attention to the bird, especially when set aglow by the low January sun. This elegant...Despite its name, the grey wagtail is more yellow than grey. While the wings and back are slate...Despite its name, the grey wagtail is more yellow than grey. While the wings and back are slate...

There were 72 minutes and eight seconds on the clock when Joey Carbery took the first step of his run-up. He was still plain old Joey Carbery at this stage, the scoreboard telling us that Munster had six points, Exeter seven, the history books...There were 72 minutes and eight seconds on the clock when Joey Carbery took the first step of his...There were 72 minutes and eight seconds on the clock when Joey Carbery took the first step of his...

Connacht will be targeting a first win in England in almost a decade when they take on Sale Sharks in the quarter- finals of the European Challenge Cup after securing their place in the last eight with a dramatic comeback win...Connacht will be targeting a first win in England in almost a decade when they take on Sale Sharks in the quarter- finals of the European Challenge Cup after securing their place in the last eight with a dramatic comeback win...Connacht will be targeting a first win in England in almost a decade when they take on Sale Sharks in the quarter-...

Almost six years on from pleading with the FAI to upskill former internationals into coaches, Robbie Keane is among the latest intake of participants on the association’s Uefa Pro Licence course. Mick McCarthy’s new assistant...Almost six years on from pleading with the FAI to upskill former internationals into coaches, Robbie Keane is among the latest intake of participants on the association’s Uefa Pro Licence course. Mick McCarthy’s new assistant...Almost six years on from pleading with the FAI to upskill former internationals into coaches, Robbie Keane is among...